"I believe I can offer you a time that won’t be boring, Lord Madat." In Kandarl—the largest and most powerful of the five fractured continents—Madat serves as the High Priest, a man said to be the closest to the gods, their chosen vessel. Yet even he cannot escape the curse that has gripped his neck since the moment he was born. Black hair. Black eyes. Seiren, a girl who bears an uncanny resemblance to the legendary mermaid—long whispered to be a symbol of misfortune—is captured and offered to Madat as tribute. She whispers her first wish: “Kill all the villagers who betrayed me.” “And what do I get in return?” “Even a request demands an offering. You don’t seem naive enough not to know that.” Clever, cunning, and unlike anyone he’s ever encountered, Seiren captivates Madat. So, he chooses her. --- “I love you.” But everyone Madat loves… dies. The curse begins with one simple spark—